A much-loved ash tree in the heart of Glasgow has won the annual Tree of the Year competition organised by the Woodland Trust.
While many trees featured in the competition are located in the remote British countryside, the Argyle Street ash stands proudly on one of the city’s busiest roads. Author James Cowan described the tree in his 1951 book *From Glasgow’s Treasure Chest* as “quite the most graceful ash I have seen.” This sentiment is a point of pride for local residents, with the quote displayed in the pub opposite the tree.
Cowan’s book also recounts an urban legend that a sapling grew by accident when a local family returned from holiday with primrose roots—one of which contained the ash seed. The Argyle Street ash is the only tree in the street and stands an impressive 75 feet tall, casting shade over the surrounding sandstone tenement houses.
Across the country, many ash trees have been lost to the fungal disease ash dieback, which proves fatal to affected trees. However, the Argyle Street ash, planted during the Victorian era, has survived significant challenges including the Clydeside Blitz, recent urban redevelopment, and the disease itself.
This remarkable resilience helped the Argyle Street ash triumph over stiff competition. It beat the King of Limbs oak, which inspired a Radiohead album title, and the Lonely Tree, located on the edge of Llyn Padarn in north Wales. Other finalists in the top five included the Lady Jane Grey oak in Bradgate Park, Leicester, and a majestic cedar with low-sweeping boughs at Chiswick House in London—famous as the backdrop for a Beatles photo shoot.
Adam Cormack, Head of Campaigning at the Woodland Trust, said:
“Trees really matter to people, and this is clear from the response we’ve seen to the Argyle Street ash. Trees inspire us to write stories and create art, while connecting us to cultural legacies and a sense of place. We encourage people to notice and enjoy the trees around them, and learn more about how they benefit us—from boosting biodiversity and wellbeing to mitigating the effects of climate change.”
David Treanor, an arborist who has managed the ash in recent years, nominated the tree. It is protected by a tree preservation order, believed to be one of the first ever granted in Glasgow. Other notable nominators included local MSP Paul Sweeney and Stuart Murdoch from the band Belle and Sebastian.
This marks a second consecutive victory for Scotland, following last year’s triumph of the Skipinnish oak. The winner of the Woodland Trust’s Tree of the Year competition will go on to represent the UK in the European Tree of the Year contest in early 2026.
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